Visually Mag Feature: Blending Narratives: The Dance Of UX Research And Poetry
This is a snippet of my Visually Mag feature - check out the original article here.
Thrilled to share my contribution to Visually newsletter and magazine, started by fellow UXR and writer; Kaltuma Mohamed 📖🎨. This beautiful, creative magazine focuses on art + design + research. I explore how my passion for poetry and the power of storytelling strengthens critical skills like writing and influence in the research practice. There's an established norm to create rigid boundaries between work + creative play, but there’s nothing I love more than 'challenging the status quo.'😅 I believe the creative and playful process mirrors innovation and progress, and it should be awkward, uncomfortable and a healthy tension, that's where transformation and growth reside. You never know, it may look rebellious until people realize it was worth it. Enjoy.
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“A tiny drop of your story
brings together the people you’ve met,
the lessons learned,
the pains and pitfalls.
We share our purpose,
we share a connection,
we transform our entire perception.
Why settle for getting to know each other,
when we can cast spells on one another.”
Fatimah Attiya, “Spells & Potions” Wildflowers: A Lifetime of Longing (2023)
Weaving Worlds with Storytelling
Working as both a UX researcher and poet has been a journey of fascinating interplay. Although they’re uniquely different, at their core, both disciplines require storytelling. They capture the essence of the human experience and translate it into something that others can understand.
In UX research, I embrace the words often found in ethnography, applied anthropology, symbolic interactionism and design theory. Poetry, on the other hand, offers a profound way to express the human experience. It’s a chance to explore emotions that are not easily articulated in other forms.
Poetry has long been a powerful tool for humans to encapsulate experiences and emotions in a few well-chosen words. It moves, connects and transforms perceptions. Its power is universal and enduring. In some cultures, it’s even akin to survival and the preservation of the mind.
Edward Hopper’s 'Nighthawks' captures a moment in time, evoking a story and emotional depth, and illustrating the importance and essence of storytelling, much like in both poetry and UX.
In my poetry book, “Wildflowers: A Lifetime of Longing”, I explore human experiences through creative writing, using metaphors and imagery to illustrate our shared experience of longing; for self, for others and for a place and time. I’m also keen on using ‘words of affirmation’, to help us navigate life's challenges and provide clarity.
These principles are equally vital in UX research, where storytelling creates connections and brings clarity to complex human interactions. I find immense joy in weaving narratives into my work and, as a result, my research findings highlight the human experience of technology.
I’ve found the poetic perspective enhances my UX research, by allowing me to view user interactions through a more empathetic and nuanced lens.
Using Constraints to Tell Stories
Storytelling often comes with constraints, especially in a professional context. In UX research, constraints are essential in transforming raw data into actionable structured narratives.
For instance, when presenting findings to different audiences (engineers, product managers and business stakeholders) we have to get creative to ensure our narratives align with audience needs.
Chuck Close’s portraits are detailed, realistic images that emphasize the human aspect, aligning with the empathetic approach in UX design.
This often involves distilling complex user research into metaphors and analogies. Thankfully, data provides a well of insights to play with, as it's fraught with stories of disappointment and hope.
How Storytelling Resolves Boundaries
Read the full article here (FREE).
